Film Reviews by GI

Sadly this true story gangster film ends up being a little laborious even though the performances of Robert De Niro who plays two key roles is quite absorbing and very soon I admired the creation of the two characters whose rivalry is the centre of the plot. It's a visually accurate portrayal of the 1950s especially that gives the film an authentic vibe. It does draw you in and as a historical film about two mafia bosses at odds with one another it's interesting even though it lets itself down by little happening over long conversations in cars etc. De Niro is Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. They were two friends through the 1920s and 30s as they rise up in their crime family with Vito being a bit more irrational. Avoiding arrest for a couple of murder he hides out in Italy until after the Second World War and returns with Frank now the big boss who dilly and dallies in giving Vito a share of the spoils. This sets up the films main action and story with an attempt on Frank's life. But Frank sees it as a signal to retire! It's a film to watch for De Niro's particularly good performances but it's certainly not his best gangster film.

In many ways this is a strange film in director Danny Boyle's canon. Adapted from a novel by Alex Garland, one of Boyle's regular writers, it's essentially the familiar cinematic narrative where a stranger enters a community and after the events of the story leaves it having disrupted the balance either for good or bad. A narrative trope often found within the western genre. Here the main character is Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio), a young American, who is seeking adventure in Thailand. One evening he meets a wacky guy (Robert Carlyle) who leaves him a hand drawn map and promptly commits suicide. The map shows an isolated island where there is a beautiful beach and where those in the know can go for peace and harmony. Persuading a young French couple to join him Richard sets off on the journey to the island where he discovers an entire community led by Sal (Tilda Swinton). It's a sort of idyllic hippy community and Richard and his companions are made welcome even though the local drug cartel that grow their weed on the other half of the island have stipulated that there is to be no more people allowed. Unfortunately Richard shared the map with some surfer dudes before making the journey and their arrival sets off a chain of events that makes Richard have to focus on his priorities. There's a bit of a survival adventure vibe going on here and the course of the events is rather predictable and there's a jarring section where Richard imagines he's a character in a video game that didn't fit well for me. I was left with the impression that the story arc has been watered down somewhat even when it climaxes with a decision between murder and the continuation of the idyll that the community enjoys. The character of Richard is reprehensible, he's a liar, very impressed with himself and enjoys the sex he gets even when betraying friends in the process. The nature of his personality then jars somewhat with the film's relaxed ending where we don't really see any of the results from the film's events. Overall this makes the film a bit mediocre and it's certainly not a film that is high on Boyle's accomplishments.

This is one of Al Pacino's finest performances. He plays Frank Serpico, a young idealist who joins the NYPD but quickly becomes disillusioned by the daily corruption of bribes and pay-offs that dominate his colleagues lives. Refusing to take bribes he becomes isolated in the force and finds the bosses are uninterested in trying to eradicate corruption and soon Serpico becomes targeted by police officers who fear he intends to testify against them. Set in the early 1960s this is based on a true story and directed by Sidney Lumet, a master of gritty realism, it's a compelling police story filmed on location in the seedy sides of New York. Ultimately though this is a character study with Serpico under increasing strain and stress so his emotions are exposed into rages and sullen resignation. This has a cost on his relationships with his girl and friends and Pacino adds some real complexity here and really gets into the growing conflicts Serpico faces. It is a remarkable performance in a thoroughly entertaining film. A classic of 70s cinema and definitely a film that you must ensure you see.

Based on a true story this is a very moving drama about John Davidson who as a young teenager developed Tourette's Syndrome alienating him from his peers, drove his father from the family home and resulted in bullying, assault and occasionally arrest by the police. It's wonderfully scripted and has a touching and sentimental lead performance from Robert Aramayo as the adult John. The drama follows his difficult family life as his mother finds it hard to cope and how his old school friend's mum, Dottie (Maxine Peake), a trained mental health nurse decides to help him. Peter Mullan plays the local community centre caretaker who gives him a job and wisely suggests it's education of others that is needed about the condition. This eventually leads John to start talks with parents of children with Tourette's, the police, hospital staff which results in national recognition. This story is told in a quite emotional way, with laughs and shocks along the way. Scott Ellis Watson also excels as the young John who as a young boy has to deal with the onset of the condition. As a film about someone dealing with a mental health condition that is little understood this is remarkably good and told with a gentle, yet uncompromising focus on the issue.

This wisecracking action comedy thriller is a typical Shane Black film. It's his usual witty banter amongst the characters combined with gritty violence and big action set pieces. But also as usual it's all a bit underwhelming and whilst it entertains on a cold Autumn evening it's instantly forgettable. Based on a character by Richard Stark, Parker (Mark Wahlberg) is a professional criminal who is betrayed on a heist and vows revenge. When he catches up with Zen (Rosa Salazar) she offers him part of a big score that Parker can't turn down. He brings his trusted team and this sets off the main story as all manner of things go wrong and there's plenty of chases, gunplay and double cross. LaKeith Stanfield plays Parker's best and most trusted accomplice and there' cameos from Thomas Jane and Gretchen Mol. It's fun and fast and all been done before.

The novelty of Tom Hardy verbally sparring with the alien, Venom, that resides inside him has finally worn out here in this third film of their adventures together. The title and much of the story suggest this its the final chapter but a post end credits (and it is right at the very end!) suggests further films are possible. Like much of the comic book/superhero genre and especially in the Marvel Comics Universe it always seems that there's one film too many. And like all these films and despite whatever superpowers are on offer the action always descends into a giant punch up. This is no exception and watching this gives you that vague feeling you've seen it all before. Here Eddie (Hardy) and his alien 'symbiote' are wanted for murder and find themselves chased by hard assed military man Strickland played by Chiwetel Ejiofor in another of his bad guy but ultimately good guy roles. They're also pursued by some giant alien creatures commanded by the big dark baddie for the film's MacGuffin, here called a codex. The action ends up at Area 51 which cues shooting, lots of aliens, dicing and slicing and fisticuffs. It's all so so familiar and whilst well done it doesn't offer anything new or particularly interesting.

This is a bold, fun and unpredictable modern Cinderella story that defies expectations and has a stupendous central performance from Mikey Madison in the title role. Anora, who mostly prefers to call herself Ani, is a lap dancer in a seedy nightclub and occasionally she moonlights as a sex worker for the right client and the right money, although she refutes she is a prostitute. one night she dances for a geeky, spoilt Russian, Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn), who is the son of an oligarch and enjoys the uber wealth that his parents bestow. He hires Ani for her exclusive services for one week and takes her to Las Vegas where he eventually proposes and they marry. Ani takes the marriage seriously and commits herself to Ivan but his family are less than pleased and his 'minder', Toros (Karren Karagulian), is forced to summon his parents to deal with the matter. There's a tonal switch in the narrative that takes you a bit by surprise and it brings some comedy that produces laugh out loud moments. Madison excels in the role of Ani and brings a conflicted sense of emotions to the part. On the outside a tough, street wise girl but inwardly something else. She deserved her Academy and BAFTA awards. This is a real treat and thoroughly enjoyable and by the end quite heart warming too.

Based on a true story this is a perfectly ok comedy drama with a couple of charismatic leading stars but at the same time it's a fairly routine starry eyed view of a violent criminal that's been done before and by the end it's all watchable but just the once. Channing Tatum plays Jeffrey Manchester, a former soldier struggling to fit into civilian life who dotes on his children but his marriage has collapsed. In order to provide for them he embarks on an armed robbery spree which the film skirts over and presents Manchester as a sort of hard done by Robin Hood type, all smiles and caring even while he no doubt scared people half to death! He gets caught and heavily sentenced but uses his skills as an observant soldier to plan and execute a subtle escape and returns to his home town. He hides out in a local Toy Store waiting for a friend to secure him a new identity. Bored and trapped he begins watching the store staff including the odious manager (Peter Dinklage) and divorcee, Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), to whom he becomes attracted. Eventually he ventures out of his sanctuary to meet her and a romance develops but soon it all goes awry. If a total fiction then this may have retained more charm as a romantic crime comedy but the reality behind it seems to overshadow the film and there's the inevitable and cliched end credits stuff with the real people behind the characters. There's too little comedy, nearly all of it comes from Dinklage, and the romance is fine but predictable. Tatum and Dunst have a great chemistry and overall it's an entertaining if rather average film.

A visually spectacular science fiction adventure film in a similar vein to the Star Wars franchise and the Guardians Of the Galaxy series. It must help to have watched the TV series Firefly of which this is a final film after that series was cancelled where the background to the whole thing will make this much clearer. The story of the characters is better understood I suppose although you can watch this as a stand alone film without having first checked out the earlier series. It's a standard sci-fi extravaganza with the crew of a small ship led by Mal (Nathan Fillion) speeding round the galaxy during a period of war. They have on board a young girl, River (Summer Glau) who has some special powers and is sought after by the ruthless Operative (Chiwetel Eijofor) and everyone is chased by a horde of zombie like space pirates named Reavers. There's plenty of fights and shooting and it's all done very seriously, indeed the lack of humour is very evident. It's a fan loved film and no doubt was intended for a few follow ups that seem never to have materialised. It looks good and there's some neat effects but it's average compared to similar and more popular films of this sort.

Here's a genuine cinematic masterpiece, a film of real majesty from a director at the top of his game and this is probably his finest work. It also boasts a performance from John Wayne that ranks among some of the best screen acting you'll ever see. He plays Ethan Edwards, a former confederate soldier who returns to his former Texas home, now occupied by his brother and his family, three years after the Civil war has ended. Where he has been in the last years is a mystery but it appears he wants to settle down. But then raiding Comanche Indians, led by Scar (Henry Brandon), massacre the family and steal away the female children. Ethan, accompanied by his brother's adopted half Indian son, Martin (Jeffrey Hunter), embarks on a five year quest to find them. But Ethan is a racist with a dark agenda and Martin knows only he can prevent Ethan carrying out his intentions in the event of finding the girls. There are some very interesting themes going on here especially in a western made in the 1950s and whilst it was fairly traditional to paint all Indians as murderous in the westerns of these times this one focuses on the white mans attitude towards them, the films climax includes an Indian village massacre, which although filmed with restraint does show women and children in dire peril and hints at their destruction. Wayne, a big star at the time, is presented as an anti-hero and famously finds no redemption or peace by the films end. Shot in Monument Valley (although the story is set in Texas) this is a film that has been beautifully photographed and the framing devices used throughout are of huge influence. Wonderful support cast from Ford's usual stable of actors including Ward Bond and Vera Miles and with his usual comedic moments but ultimately this is a dark tale of vengeance and arguably one of the finest motion pictures ever made.

This is a great British war film made during period when a spate of Second World War dramas were released and proved very popular. There's always an element of flag waving but this particular film is more gritty than some others. This tells the story of a Long Range Desert Group operation in 1942 North Africa led by Captain Cotton (Michael Craig) who is the obvious lead although Richard Attenborough gets top billing. The story follows the small group of soldiers as they head deep behind enemy lines to blow up a fuel dump and then are pursued across the desert as they try to get back to enemy lines. The film was nominated for the Best British film BAFTA and it eschews any side plots or romance or any of the other cinematic narrative tropes that are usually built into a story. This is a realistic war story that effectively shows the battle against the desert was more a challenge than the war against the Germans. It's a film of comradeship and heroism that remains a solid addition to the British war film genre. John Gregson costarred as the new officer who has to adapt to the operational culture of this special operations group.

A good solid police thriller from the 80s that cemented Harrison Ford as a major league star and moved him away from the science fiction genre where he had made his name. It's also a clash of cultures themed narrative and a romance thrown in for good measure. It remains an entertaining watch and it's Kelly McGillis who stands out with her performance as a widowed Amish woman. The murder of an undercover police officer in Philadelphia is inadvertently witnessed by a young Amish boy (Lukas Haas) who is travelling with his mother, Rachel (McGillis). Detective John Book (Ford) is assigned to the case and it quickly transpires that corrupt cops are behind it all meaning Book has to hide out within the Amish community. This causes all sorts of tensions with the strange community who shun modernity and most importantly, violence. As love blossoms between Book and Rachel the film climaxes in a 'High Noon' style confrontation. There's some interesting showcasing of the attitudes of the ignorant Americans towards the Amish who are portrayed as misunderstood but ultimately kind and caring avoiding too much emphasis on the very patriarchal dominance and morality of the Amish society. But as a thriller from the 80s, when it was a big box office hit, this is a film that is worth a watch if you've never seen it.

This psychological thriller benefits from the gloomy setting of Bucharest and has an ominous soundtrack to increase the tension in what is a slow build up towards the film's climax. It's all very Hitchcockian in style and there's a scene in a cinema that's playing Charade (1963), a film that is often thought of as a Hitchcock film but actually isn't, to add to the idea. Maika Monroe plays Julia, an American, who moves to Romania with her husband. She's unable to speak the language and so feels naturally ill at ease and a fish out of water which is amplified when she begins to believe a shadowy figure in a window opposite her apartment is a man watching her. Of course her husband (Karl Glusman) and the police think she's being paranoid especially after she says a man has been following her around the city. Cinema is littered with women characters who are treated as neurotic over such beliefs and this film builds on the idea although the viewer is clearly aware her fears appear to be genuine. There's plenty of dark corridors , alleyways and half lit rooms all filmed in a washed out palette to enhance the creepiness. It's a neat and well made thriller although you're always aware it's all been done before. It's worth a watch though.

Alan Clarke's uncompromising portrayal of life in Britain's youth prisons remains powerful, disturbing and controversial. There's an interesting history to this film. First made by Clarke in 1977 for the BBC who promptly banned it and it was never aired. Unfazed Clarke immediately set about getting funding and remade the film almost scene by scene (and with some slight changes in cast) for a cinema release in 1979. Incidentally the BBC version wasn't shown for another fifteen years. Ray Winstone stars as Carlin, a convicted criminal sent to a borstal and he comes with a reputation for violence. But Carlin is committed to keeping his head down and staying out of trouble. But the harsh regime is dominated by violence from the prison officers who allow favoured inmates to control the wings for them. Petty punishments and deliberate suppression of free thought are all overseen by a religious Governor and eventually this pushes Carlin back to taking control through extreme violence. This is a tough watch, scenes of rape and suicide are explicit and the racism is very uncomfortable and even the cinema version was banned for release on videocassette in the UK during the 80s. Debate rages today about the authenticity of what is depicted here but Clarke, who made several controversial films attacking UK Government policies and systems, is clearly attempting to highlight the uselessness of a prison system based on punishment alone. A remarkable film and definitely one to check out if you've never seen it and if by some chance you believe that this shows a youth prison system that we should return to I'm afraid you're sorely mistaken.

A rather inconsequential caper film with a B movie vibe and a script that can't make up it's mind if it's a dark comedy of a serious crime story. Samara Weaving plays Edie, a once top getaway driver who is now reformed and finds herself pregnant by her useless boyfriend. She is forced back to do one last job by her old crime boss played in a decent cameo by Andy Garcia. The job is the robbery of a casino and of course she has to work with an assortment of characters and nothing goes to plan. There's violence and a couple of car chases but overall it's a tame affair that doesn't quite add up. Weaving is ok as the level headed and intelligent former criminal although why she's with the utterly hopeless boyfriend is never really clear. It's a film that passes a couple of hours and has it's moments but it's instantly forgettable.